Life Within Tattered Pages
by blackxpixiexdust
Summary: Can love and trust still make Hermione hold onto her life as she is easily pulled into a core of darkness and horror?


How I thought, ever so surely, that I was capable of standing on my own two feet, knowing the shadows who were controlling my thoughts and dreams wouldn't lead me in the path of no return. This is my story.

It was a gloomy and rainy day, as it always was in the morning. I was the first one to wake up, as usual. I reached for my personal bag and searched for my hairbrush. My hair was just to long and to curly so it took me ten minutes just to get out all the knots, let alone the due I was going to put it in. Anyway, it was approximately five thirty when I found my way to the library, doing last minute research on the Wiggenweld potion and antidotes to cure bites from poisonous doxies. I wasn't the only one in the library. That surprised me. For once there was about three or four other students: A third year Hufflepuff girl, a seventh year Ravenclaw boy, and wow! I actually couldn't believe it. Fred and George? What on earth were they doing here! Whatever the reason, I had to ask. It was in my nature to ask wrongdoers what they were up to so I could tell them it was, well, wrong. So I opened my big, know-it-all mouth.

"What on earth are you two doing in here?" I whispered but loudly.

"Why on earth do you care?" said the twins together. "Is it any of _your_ business to know what _we're_ up to?"

"Yes it is," said I, pointing to the shiny badge on my chest. I knew I should've kept my mouth shut. This was one thing the twins excelled at besides practical jokes. Good combats especially for my case, being a prefect.

"Oh my God!" said Fred sarcastically. "How on earth did I miss _that_ when its always shoved up my nose all the _bloody_ time by you 'prefects'? Please Hermione save your breath. Damn you people really have no lives." he ended, heading toward the exit then nodding his head at George so he would follow along.

I stood there for a few seconds, trying to figure out what just happened since it came and went so quickly. When I finally got my act together, I looked under W and D for me resources. I finished my paper less then five minutes, but I still wanted to stay in the library. So I walked up and down the rows looking for a book that I wanted to just pop out and yell "READ ME! READ ME!" I was just in the mood to stick my nose in a book that was about dark mysteries and lusty romances. But this was a magic school library. Where was I going to find anything like that? _Maybe_ I thought to myself. _Maybe I can borrow one from Ginny. She's always in to that stuff and sneaks books from home to read them later in her dorm. _Nah! For some reason, I thought Ginny would start acting weird and ask questions or something. She was _really _into that type of stuff. I decided, for the hell of it, to go looking in the Restricted section. _Why would they have it there? Fine. I'll look anyway._ My pass still didn't expire yet for being able to go into the Restricted section, so I had no worries about getting in trouble. I looked around, having a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach that I wasn't supposed to be here. It was strange. I had another weird feeling that people were following me and I heard whispers. Not just any old whispers, but high-pitched sinister whispers that gave me a numb feeling. Maybe I was just deranged or something at the moment. I still looked on. Just to do something with my time, I pulled off any old book from the shelves, flipped through the pages, read a couple, and if any were interesting, I would borrow them.

I thought everything was interesting! _God its no wonder they want passes to get into here. All the good stuff is in here. Damn, that's not fair._ I looked at one shelf where all the books were black and rustic looking. I had a feeling those where all powerful dark arts books. I stepped away from there, feeling a quick chill swipe over my body. I quickly turned to look at the medieval books on the lower hand bookcase in the center of the room. I found an excellent story on dragons and legends of a young boy named Arthur. I wondered why some of these books were in the Restricted section. They weren't bad at all. I thought it to be fascinating. I swore I stayed in there for about an hour reading at least four chapters. I was about to walk out back into the main library until my eye glanced at a book that was a dark purple color that had blood-red scales on the binding. I was eager at first to see what it was until I realized it was on a certain shelf. I stopped dead in my tracks and yet another chill swept over my body. _Wasn't this the dark arts shelf? It can't be. All the books were…_I looked at all the books surrounding it. All the other books were black! Now I started to panic. I traced back and forth, not taking me eye off of this book. Everything else I tried to think off was lost in the back of my mind. _Should I get it?_

The next thing I realized was that I was literally gliding to get the book. A sort of trance came over me and possessed me to reach my hand out. I wasn't blinking, nor breathing. The only thing that kept racing through my mind was the damn book. I was so destined to get it and also forced in a way, but I was crying inside, wanting so desperately for this force to let go of me. My heart thumped so hard, I swore my chest was going to burst. Slowly but surely, my hand grasped over this tattered book. All of a sudden, everything stopped. I fell hard on the floor with a loud thump, holding the book closely to my chest. I felt hazy, and especially lost. _Where am I? What happened? What's this? _I took a wary glance at the book I was clasping tightly to my chest. It seemed that everything that just ended, began again. I didn't want anything else but this book. And I finally had it in my clutches. I stood up firmly and hid the darn thing under my robes. I walked over the pile of books I had earlier on the floor where I had my little clumsy act, and like nothing happened, I left the room.

My first class was Ancient Runes. I still haven't convinced Harry and Ron to take this instead of Divinations. They told me what's the point if they're getting great marks in this class where all they do is "predict" when or where they are going to do. In my opinion, that class is a waste of time and Harry and Ron should be doing something more "challengeable" for their liking. I was so ready for my O.W.L.S. but I wanted to study longer and harder so I could do even better. After that class, I met Harry and Ron on the second floor where we'd be going into the Charms classroom shortly. There, we had a little conversation.

"That was brilliant, mate. I should of thought of that myself," Ron said.

"Oh God, what now," I said, sighing at first.

"Oh nothing. Harry 'predicted' that one-day I would die in a freight train accident because some crazy hobo dismantled the tracks or something. I 'predicted' that Harry was going mental a jumped off some cliff somewhere."

"Honestly, Ron. You two should know better than that, I mean, even if I were in Divinations, I wouldn't do such things as that."

"Of course _you_ wouldn't, Hermione. But it's something _we _would."

"Actually did," corrected Harry.

They both walked in Charms belly laughing through the whole lesson because of some idiotic predictions they made. I didn't think there was any humor in the subject. Okay, maybe I did. But, I didn't want to show it because I wanted them to realize it wasn't right. What was the point? I've done it for over four and a half years and it still hasn't worked. Oh well. It wasn't going to be _my _fault when it came toward taking the O.W.L.S. and they didn't know what to do. That, too, made me laugh inside. Even though they were my best friends, and I did try, I would love to see them fail the test that I so desperately studied for.

The day went by so quickly. It was six thirty and I was so happy that we had no homework. I was just about to lounge on the sofa, until Ron came storming down the boy's dormitory stairs and said we had to go on duty. After all, we were prefects. I remember when I first found out about becoming a prefect. I was so ecstatic. Now I really wish I wasn't. People can make fun of my "perfection" more than they used to and I never had time to do what _I _really wanted. So I got dressed back into my robes, put on that stupid badge, and walked with Ron out of the common room onto the Grand Staircase.

"So," Ron said, and I knowing an argument was probably going to happen as it always did.

"So," I said back.

"What've you been up to lately?"

Again, this happened to me. I couldn't control myself. Someone else was taking over my inner self and controlling my thoughts.

"Why do you care?" I said in a low, raspy voice.

At first Ron looked scared. Well then who wouldn't be? I was, as he would say, "going mental." But then Ron said, "God, sorry I asked."

"You should be," I said still in some sort of trance.

"You know, Hermione, all because we're alone at the moment doesn't mean you can't give me a simple hello or how you doing. Blimey, something is really going wrong with you lately. You act as though I'm not your friend. Please tell me Hermione, do you like me or not?"

Suddenly, it felt as though someone kicked me with such force in the stomach, I groveled to the floor in agony. Ron quickly leaned over me and looked pale as a ghost.

"HERMIONE! HERMIONE ARE YOU OK?" He said going out of control.

I actually came back to reality. My stomach still hurt from the incident but I was free to say what I wanted. I was still frightened. I lost all my words and couldn't speak at all! By the looks on Ron's face I had a feeling I looked sicker. I was also feeling sicker. Ron kept looking around for somebody to help, but no one was around. He kept asking me something but I couldn't make out the words. Everything was becoming unclear around me and everything sounded low and muffled. I didn't know what was happening. _Am I dying? _I didn't know nor didn't care. I didn't feel weak, though. Yes by the looks of Ron's eyes I probably appeared weak to him, but I had some strange feeling I _was_ in a wonderland or some fantasy. The last thing I remember before everything went black was that Ron held me close to him, in a warm embrace. I wanted so badly to wrap my arms around his neck and tell him I'm sorry for whatever it was I'd done, but my whole body was numb. If it was the last time I was going to be alive, I was happy it was ending like this. I forced myself to say the words I thought would be my last. "I love you Ron."

I woke up on a sunny afternoon, in the hospital wing. I still ached all over from that night, but couldn't remember what on earth had happened. All I knew was that I was glad I wasn't dead, but why was I here.

"OH HELL!" I cried. "I HAVE TO GO ON PREFECT DUTY!" I quickly rushed out of bed and ran for the door, but before I made it there, Madam Pomfrey came in the room looking delighted but confused.

"Oh thank goodness your awake Hermione. You've been out for nearly three days. I do hope your feeling better. Where are you going?" she added as I was standing a foot away from the door.

"Uh…" I said knowing there was no point now going on prefect duty. "Madame Pomfrey, what exactly happened?"

"Sit down, my dear," she said gesturing a hand toward my bed. I walked over then sat on the bed. I was trying as hard as I can to remember that night. Then, Madame Pomfrey started.

"Well, I don't know what happened. Your friend Mr. Weasley told me all of this and I'm just going to repeat to you exactly what he told me. Well, at first he told me that he told you that you two had to go on duty. You guys walked and chatted a little until he asked you what you've been doing lately. He said your voice sounded funny and defiantly didn't sound anything like yours. Your eyes changed from brown to a dark, grayish color and your skin was beginning to get paler. Every time he asked you a question you would say a spiteful remark back to him. Right then and there, you dropped to the floor, unable to speak or hear anything. So Mr. Weasley carried you to the hospital wing where you looked paler then any one I've ever seen. You were as cold as ice and I ran to get some antidote of some sort. I'm sorry to say but I've never seen anything like that kind of incident before. Ron was devastated. He thought you were dying or something. He got Harry and they were sitting by you every second, waiting for you to awake. They're at Care for Magical Creatures now. I told them to come back after class. They're really worried about you. If you really are feeling better I can't keep you from your lessons, but I think for your own good you should rest."

I sat there, looking awed by this conversation. Yet scared. I got up and ran as fast as I could out of the hospital wing. I ran and ran until I came to the large doors heading out into the Hogwarts grounds. I ran even more, down a hill until I came across the Care of Magical Creatures class. Before I said anything, I ran up to Ron and hugged him with all the strength I had left. He hugged back. I felt so safe to be held by him again. But I quickly let go so I could give Harry a hug. I loved Harry dearly, like a brother. But there was something about Ron that made me feel different, a lot different. Maybe that's why I acted different around him all the time. Anyway, I was just thankful I had friends who cared so much about me.

It was dinner in the Great Hall and I was starving. The last time I remember eating was three days ago at lunch. I never stuffed my face in a dinner like this one. I ate everything that came my way. Harry and Ron were telling me what I missed for our homework assignments. Harry and Ron said they were looking for particular books in the library. So I told them were to look and what they were called. All of a sudden, I remembered something I totally forgot about for five days. I _did _go to the library and I _did _pick out a certain book. Just then, my mind was only focused on that book. I got up and headed towered Gryffindor tower. I rushed up the stairs and into the girls' dormitory. There, I ripped through all my belongings and found that damn book. I had some strange feeling that someone was going to spy on me. I was supposed to return this book the day I borrowed it. Go figure! But I knew the perfect place to go, the girls' prefect bathroom. I could take a long, relaxing bath while I read this book. So I packed all my things up, got my personal belongings, and headed out the Fat Lady's portrait hole.

I finally made it to the bathroom. Luckily, no one was here. This was the first time I was actually here. Wow! It was a breathtaking place. The floor looked so silky, so fine and also had a pinkish glow. In the middle of the room, hanging from the ceiling, was a huge golden chandelier that looked like garland strands of diamonds and pearls hung from it. It was gorgeous! The bath looked like a mini pool that was in the center of the room. I felt like royalty when I put my hand on one of the faucets that had emeralds and rubies on it. It was about ten minutes that I stopped admiring this room. I went toward the bathtub and made my nice, warm bath. I stripped from my clothing then delicately slipped my body into my own wonderland. To make everything even better, I stuck my nose into a book. Everything around me disappeared. After reading the first page or so, I was so into it that I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop reading it. This book is exactly what I was so longing to have.

It was like I was in a wonderland or some sort. I didn't want to let go of him though I knew I was drowning in a forever river of darkness. Yet with the one I loved, I knew nothing would really pull me down. I knew I didn't have a weakness now. I might of looked weak in others eyes, but I knew I wasn't weak inside. 

Wow! I was getting really into this. But then I stopped, and thought to myself.

_So much stuff in this book sounds oddly familiar. I probably read something like that somewhere. God! Harry and Ron are right. I do read too much! _I kept on reading, even when I was getting out of the tub and changing with one hand. I finally got fully dressed and packed and headed out of the bathroom and up the Grand Staircase, not taking my eyes off this damn book. I went through the Fat Lady's portrait, into the common room, up another flight of stairs, and into my dormitory. I lay under my covers with my wand and the book. I read on some more.

_I ran. I just kept running and running, knowing I'll reach him in no time. That's what was on my mind the whole time. I only could think of his profound and passionate eyes looking into my cold, stern ones. I never felt so close to anybody like that before. I ran even quicker than I thought I could ever run just thinking about him. In no time I found myself sheltered in his arms, knowing I was out of harms way and nothing would get me. No one would pull me down. No demons would lead me on the path of no return. I was safe, safe in his arms._

And with that I closed the book, and drifted off into my most inner and desired thoughts.

I found myself running across a dark valley, with only the moonlight to guide me. The cold winter's air gently brushed my skin and I felt reluctant at first, but then I was light-headed and eager. I ran into the woods were I frolicked around just enjoying myself and spinning around, not knowing what I was doing. I started to hum a strange and haunting tune that also chilled my spine as I hummed it. But I smiled as spun and spun, bathing in the moonlight that filled me with such desire just to keep going on like this all night. I felt a power in me start to grow and grow. I fell on the sparkling, white blanket that covered the ground. I lay there, cold as can be, but liked the feeling. I was moving around in the snow, trying to make myself comfortable, when I found a small flower, sticking up from the ground. I smiled at it for a few seconds, planning to pick it up and save it from the harsh weather outside. I delicately picked up the white-rose and held it close to my heart as I fell back into a deep slumber.

I woke up feeling refreshed that morning, rolling over on what I thought to be my mattress, but it was terribly cold to be. I opened my eyes and I swore my heart fell to the pit of my stomach. I _was _outside. I _did _stare at the moon which tempt me to sing and dance through what I thought was my pleasurable dream! I was _indeed _holding the rose that I picked from the ground.

Now I was frightened. Nothing I knew happened like this to anyone nor did I know how it occurred. _I couldn't have been sleepwalking. I know I couldn't of. _OhI wasn't sleepwalking, all right. I knew when I woke up on the snow, partially in the Forbidden Forest; I was in a trance of some sort. I sat there, freezing cold in my silky-white nightgown holding a flower that I picked from the hard, icy ground. I panicked and couldn't breathe when I stood up and ran with all my might back to the castle. I stopped and realized that I was out on the grounds with no supervision and halfway dressed. I didn't know what time it was so I didn't know if lunch was going on in the Great Hall or what classes were going on. Teachers were lurking the halls at this hour. I knew I would get in deep trouble let alone the rumors that would spread about by nightfall. So I hid behind a tree, waiting for the Care of Magical Creatures class to come outside. I waited I guess for an hour and a half, shivering severely, and still no class started yet. I finally heard the doors open and I saw Hagrid coming out with the class behind him. I quickly dodged behind a tree, waiting for Harry or Ron to approach. As Ron was the first one, I quickly grabbed him; hitting him up against the tree I was hiding behind so no one can see, and clasped my hand over his mouth, knowing he was going to say something.

"Shh…I'll explain everything to you later. Oh I'm desperate Ron, please give me your robe?"

But he wouldn't take his eyes off of me as he stared from head to toe.

"Take off my robes? Well Hermione, I'm quite flattered. But shouldn't we be doing this somewhere else?"

I blushed slightly, then slapped him and said, "Ron?" desperately with anger rising in my voice. I was just so cold!

He quickly snapped out of what I thought was one of _his _fantasies and said, "Alright, alright. But you better give me a bloody explanation later. You look like your really sick or something. Were you out here all night?"

"I told you I'll explain everything later. Now lets go! I don't want them to suspect you've disappeared, too."

So I quickly pulled on his robes, and we strolled back to the class like nothing happened.

I was so nervous, I was sure someone was going to say something. But no one did. A few glances weren't that bad. But I knew Harry was going to say something.

"Where the hell were you, Hermione?"

"Please, I promise I'll tell you two everything later."

So we started the lesson of with Hagrid telling us a little of what it was going to be about.

"Today class, we're goin' ter learn how ter gather Chizpurfels. No ter be able to pick up a Chizpurfel, yeh have ter lure them toward the Venomus Tentacula right over here. Light can easily distract Chizpurfels. So use yer Lumos spell. Once it's close enough to the Venomus Tentacula, it'll eat it, and then spit it up again. Then, it'll be safe fer yeh ter touch."

So for the early afternoon, we lured the Chizpurfels from under the trees toward the Venomus Tentacula. It was really easy, but a little complicated. I felt so relieved that the lesson went by so quickly. I needed, yet again, something to eat.

Lunch in the Great Hall wasn't so much fun. Harry and Ron wouldn't get off my back. I couldn't tell them flat out that some evil spirit or something possessed me to do what I didn't even _know _I was doing. I was just going to make something up. _Yeah that's what I'm going to do. _

"Hermione, what happened?" asked Harry.

"Ok," I said taking a long, deep sigh. "I was…uh…bored and staring out my window and…uh…saw something outside, I didn't know what it was so I…uh…snuck out. I was so determined to find out what it was that I forgot to dress myself. I got locked out of the castle and had to stay outside the whole night."

"Are you serious, Hermione?" said Ron. "You know, you could've gone to Hagrid. Maybe he could've done something."

"I would have gotten in trouble!"

"I'd rather get in trouble then freeze to death!"

"Well in your opinion Ron, not mine!"

"Bloody hell, Hermione, all your worries are on one little detention, probably just a lecture. You've gone mental, you have. Harry, please tell me, does this make any sense to you?"

"Quite frankly, it doesn't Ron," Harry said then going about his business, and started reading the Daily Prophet. I just sat there, feeling really guilty. I shouldn't of lied to them. They were my best friends! I knew I could trust them. I mean, after all the stuff that's happened to Harry, they should believe me. Even as much as I wanted to tell them, I couldn't. Something held me back from saying it. Just as I was about to open my mouth to say something, I shut it again. It was no use in trying to tell them my _real _story.

Later on that night in the girls' dormitory I lay, again, under my covers. I still had forgotten to give Ron his robes back. I put my hand inside the robes to see if he kept anything _interesting _inside. I found a few pieces of lint, two Beartie Botts Every Flavor Beans, a half eaten muffin, and then I felt something soft and silky. I pulled it out and my heart skipped a few beats. I held in my hand the white rose I picked from the ground that night. _That night really did happen. Oh God how I wished I knew. How did it happen? _These questions ran through my mind like crazy. The whole day I was filled with stress. I needed to calm down and read a book. So I pulled the big, tattered book up from under my bed, and began reading some more.

_Every inch of my body was ice! I was never this cold before. I hadn't a care. I just frolicked in a place I visited often in the depths of my dreams. I was home and I knew it. This is where I wanted to belong, nowhere else. After the fun and fanciful moment, I lay back on the soft, white cushion and dreamed on some more. I awoke to find a magnificent flower that so delicately rested upon my bosom. It was so righteous and reminded me of everything beautiful. I had to keep it safe, safe from any harm that could happen to it._

I flipped the page, ready to read on until I swear I almost fainted. My heart dropped, again, to the pit of my stomach and I couldn't breathe. There, on that page, was the same exact rose that I held in my shaking hand. The only problem was, the one I had was white. The one that was in the book was black. I threw the book across the room. I sat on my bed, scared as all hell. I didn't know where to run or where to hide. I cried and cried for as long as I could imagine. All of a sudden, I was taken from reality, yet again, and cast into oblivion. I was not me, I was the other me that I couldn't control like the night in the Restricted section, the Grand Staircase, last night on the Hogwart's grounds, and even now. My body felt weak and helpless. I was lifted into the air and SLAM! My body crashed into the nearest wall well I felt my forehead split in half with excruciating pain and then everything went black.

Déjà vu! I woke up in the hospital wing. I heard whispers. I woke up to find Lavender and Parvati, the ones who found me passed out on the floor, over me. Madame Pomfrey came scurrying into the room with a glass in her hand that consisted of a red substance.

"Here drink this dear," she said shoving the glass into my hands. I took little sips and waited for somebody to say something to me, rather than staring. I felt something compressing up against my head, which was a large bandage. I remember the pain from that night, but not the night itself. My forehead still hurts from time to time. Finally, someone said something.

"Hermione, are you all right?" said Parvati in a gentle tone. Her and Lavender comforted me and told me what had happened.

"We ran into the room as soon as we heard a crash. Oh, Hermione. I was so scared for a moment. You were bleeding from your forehead and you looked so white."

"And felt so cooled," added Lavender.

"I do hope you're alright. We brought you straight here after that."

"Thank you so much, you guys," I said sounding sick. I felt sick, too. I knew I was to weak to go to any of my classes. So I stayed here for the night and for the rest of tomorrow.

It was the next day around dinner, when Harry and Ron gave me a visit. I asked them what kept them. They made up some really bad excuses, but I didn't care. I was just happy that they came. They didn't know how much it meant to me. They both came in and gave me flowers and hugged me. Harry sat in the chair next to me, while Ron sat on the end of my bed, looking at the floor.

"Hermione," said Harry leaning over to whisper something in my ear so Madame Pomfrey couldn't hear. "You got to tell me everything and no lies! Seriously Hermione. You've been in the hospital wing _a lot _and acting really strange. Something has gotta be put into action or you could wind up dead!"

"Please Harry, I'm fine. I'm not going to die. Stop worrying so much." I wanted to tell Harry the God's honest truth but I could dare. I was too scared. He leaned over to kiss my cheek. I blushed a little. Ron still didn't say anything at all. I knew Ron. He was probably scared to talk to me. I don't blame him. He already has one friend who has danger lurking him everywhere he goes. He doesn't need another one. I stared at him for a few seconds, wandering what he was thinking. I wanted so bad to do something for him. He's done so much for me. I didn't want any more arguments with him.

"Harry, will you please excuse Ron and me for a second? I need to have a private word with him."

"Sure. I'll be waiting out in the corridor, Ron."

"Ok mate," said Ron not taking his eyes off the floor. And with that, Harry walked out of the room.

"Ron?" I said gently touching his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"I should be asking you that," said Ron with a faint laugh.

"It's ok. I feel fine. I'm just a little worried about you. You haven't been talking to me lately. I just want to know if everything is cool between us."

"It is. I'm just kinda nervous lately. I mean, with you in the hospital wing often and Harry's problem with you-know-who coming back to power, it's kinda havoc lately, don't you think?"

"Yeah. Maybe a little," I said with a weak laugh. I took a long sigh and said in a flirting way, "Do you remember how we met?"

"How could I forget? Damn! You always excelled in every class. That got me so jealous. Even though I did have a slight crush on you."

"YOU HAD A CRUSH ON ME?" I was astonished. This is one of the craziest things Ron said since Sirius bite his leg and said they might have to chop it.

"Look, it's not that big of deal."

"I know, I know. It's just kinda funny. I mean I've had feelings for you, too. Remember out third year? We always kept arguing. Don't think that I started up an argument for the hell of it, I wanted your attention."

We both sat there, laughing. Remembering the good old days made me feel so happy. It made him happy, too. We sat there, saying, "Remember this and remember that" until I finally did something that I was so longing to do for five years.

"Remember this…" My lips fell to his. He sat there, taken a back for a moment, his eyes still open, as I kept on kissing him. He finally fell into it. We kissed with such passion for each other that I felt more eager and determined. I knew where this was going to go if I kept going at him like this. So, I broke it off and just stared at him as he was taking short breaths at a time and looking shocked. He made a smile and I saw a twinkle in his dreamy, sapphire eyes as he said, "I always will."

I stayed in the hospital wing for that evening, even though I wanted to go back to the common room. I had nothing to do, and I didn't feel like studying or reading for a change. I lay back on my soft pillow and started to daydream.

I thought about many things: The dark, early morning in the Restricted section, the prefect bathroom, the rose, and about Ron. I thought more about the night on the Grand Staircase. It was all a blur to me. I can't recall if it was a dream or not. Whatever the case, I knew I was with Ron and my feelings for him changed that night. I'm so glad that I _finally _showed him how much I loved him.

With all of these thoughts running through my mind I was starting to get a bit drowsy. Slowly but surely I was entering the depths of my dreams.

I wasn't a loving, sweet little girl who danced in the moonlight, but rather an evil, heartless young woman who wanted to get revenge. I didn't like the feeling. I squired around in my dreams, wanting so desperately to wake up. But I didn't. No matter if I or somebody else tried to wake me up, it was no use. My appearance was different. I was no longer the schoolgirl in a uniform, but a sinister, possessed little girl that wore torn black rags that looked gothic in a way. My eyeliner slid down my white, petrified face that looked like black tears of sorrow and hate. My skin was cold as ice, yet again, and I felt like I was the living dead. In my dream, I was still in the hospital wing. I got up slowly from the bed, and traveled out of the second floor corridor. I went down the Grand Staircase and into the Entrance Hall. I walked out of the double doors and, again, onto the Hogwart's grounds. I stopped and looked around. My destination was already on my mind: The Herbology glass houses. I walked further out onto the grounds and reached one of the glass houses. I took my wand out and unlocked the door. I rummaged through all the drawers and shelves looking for something sharp. I finally found a great big pair of cutting scissors. I looked at it as if my life depended on it. I hid it in my ragged dress. I walked inside the castle and walked into a random corridor. There the caretaker, Argus Filtch, spotted me. I stopped in the middle of the corridor. My stone cold eyes stared at him and his cat. He then approached me.

"Who are you? What are you doing down here?" He asked also looking a bit frightened. My blank expression turned into a light smile. He came even closer, ready to grab my hand and bring me to his office to give me a detention. He dragged me down to the dungeons and into the first door on the right hand side. I sat in one of the chairs as he turned his back and fumbled through one of the drawers looking for a detention slip or a book of rules. This was my time to act. I stood up and sneaked over before him. I took my hand and slipped it into my dress and pulled out the cutting scissors. I held it high above me and… SLASH!

A blood, curdling scream echoed throughout the dungeons. Blood went everywhere and all over my dress. Filtch went cross-eyed and fell to the floor with his last inhale of life. I stood there, so pleased with myself, I smiled more proudly, more wickedly then ever before. Right then and there, Mrs. Norris, Filtch's cat, sprang from the ground and scratched my face with all her might. I yanked her off and thrashed her to the ground. Then, I screamed as pain plunged into my body, chilling my spine and making me numb. For a second or two, everything went black. I woke up on the floor, wandering were I was or _who _I was. I turned over to see what was on the ground next to me and I was horrified! Filtch lay in a puddle of blood, dead! I felt a great rush of fear gushing through my veins. I felt something in my hand, but I was too shocked to look. I knew what it was without looking. I murdered somebody! I was guilty of this crime! I held the proof in my hands and wore the evidence! I did it! It's done!

I panicked. I Heard voices getting louder and louder in the corridors. The Slytherins were coming out of their dormitories, wondering what the scream was. _It happened again! Oh God what on earth can I do? It happened again! Oh I just can't believe it! _I knew I couldn't stay here long. I had to hide, but where to go? There were no windows down in the dungeons and I couldn't run out the door now. There was a broom closet in the far right of the room. I dashed as quickly as I could to the closet, where I hide, shaking like mad, and locking it after I entered with my wand.

Snape and other Slytherins came marching in the room where the murder took place. I heard yelps from some girls behind the door, and gasps from others. Everybody started talking like mad and panicked, as did I. Then I heard Snape say, "Everybody, go back to your dormitories and NOW! Ms. Bulstrode, report this to the Headmaster IMMEDIATELY!" And with those words said, the door to the room shut and everything went silent. Snape was still lurking about, looking for clues. He wasn't crying, but I knew he was upset. I mean, I was upset and I hate Filtch. This was the first time I heard Snape sniffle. He walked toward the door and closed it slowly behind him. I didn't dare move a muscle. I was crying inside like mad, and was on the verge of tears. I was too terrified to cry, to talk, to move, to breathe…_Dear God help me. Save me from all that is evil. Let me be free of this terrible curse that still lingers within my soul. _

I heard the door open again, and in came Snape along with Dumbledore and all the other Professors in the school. I crouched down in the corner, crying so hard. I covered my ears so I couldn't hear the conversation. I couldn't bare it. It was just too horrible.

I waited for hours on end for the teachers to leave the room. As they all left, I knew they were to come back. But I knew I couldn't stay here all night. It was going to be marked off by all students in the morning and classes were to be going on. I sat waiting a few minutes after all the teachers left, making sure nobody would be coming in. I unlocked the door and slid out carefully. I unlocked the office door, which Dumbledore locked behind him, and ran as fast as lightning. I was still covered with blood!

If anybody saw me, that would be it. I would be convicted of this crime and sent to Azkaban. I just took my chance. I skidded down the corridors and somehow made it up to the seventh floor corridor. I ran even faster. I reached the Fat Lady's corridor when I suddenly…BOOM! I bumped into Ron with such force, we both collapsed to the floor. Oh God! What on earth should I tell him? '_Yeah I was just down in the dungeons killing_ _off a Squib that nobody likes in the first place_.' _Yeah! That would really reassure him._

Ron's face went whiter than ever. He stayed on the ground, wanting to come near me, but backed away slightly.

"Her-mio-ne!" he whispered slowly and looked devastated. I don't blame him though. I was more scared of myself than I thought he was of me.

"Now listen, Ron. I can explain…" but I didn't have time. I heard people approaching and I couldn't let anybody else see me. I got back on my feet and went into the Fat Lady's portrait hole. I ran in the common room and heard somebody say, "Hi Hermione," but I couldn't answer or stop. I ran up the stairs and into the girls' dormitory where I was lucky to find nobody there. I quickly change from those bloody, wretched rags into my school robes. I had to hide this dress somewhere where I'd never see it again. I threw it out the window near my bed. It was the only place. If anybody found it they couldn't blame me. They had to see me in it to know, but I was running so fast that they wouldn't. I took a long, steady sigh then put my head on my pillow and cried. I cried harder than I ever had before. My pillow was soaked with tears of pain and suffering. Just then, I heard a knock on the door.

"Hermione? Is that you in there? If it is, can I come in? What happened?" I knew it was Ginny by the sound of her voice. I wiped away my tears and said, "Yeah, Ginny. I'm all right. You can come in."

She opened the door really slowly, not knowing if she was bothering me or not. She wasn't though. I needed to talk to somebody desperately. It's like she knew what I wanted. She sat down on my bed and embraced me. I put my head on her shoulder and started to cry. I couldn't explain all my feelings that were locked up inside the horrid book and me. I tried telling Harry once, and even Ron, but it was still no use. It was on my mind and on the tip of my tongue, but as I tried to speak, nothing came out. If I could tell her I would. She is the only person who would understand since she was possessed by a book at one point. It was so much different though. Voldemort wanted power, so he made Ginny weaker. My problem is that I shouldn't have been in the Restricted section when I wasn't supposed to, so now _I'm _doing the evil work. Still, I tried to tell her and it ended up all the same.

"Hermione, what's wrong? You know you can tell me anything. You can trust me." Of course I trusted Ginny. She was one of my dearest friends but so was Harry and Ron and I could tell them _anything._

"Nothing, Ginny. I'm fine as always," I lied.

"As always? Please, Hermione. You've haven't been fine at all from what I've heard. You're in the hospital wing constantly and you acting really strange around people. I've seen it. Don't think my brother hasn't been telling me about you. He really misses the old you."

"Wait! So you know about what happened in the…um…hospital wing…when Harry and Ron came…to uh…visit me?"

"No. What happened?"

"Oh…nothing."

"See that's what I mean. It's like you don't trust me anymore. We always used to sit up in the dorm and talk none stop about problems, especially _boy _problems." _Oh, Ginny if you only knew…if you only knew._

But wait! Maybe Ginny _could_ know. I mean, if I wasn't able to _tell _her, couldn't I _show _her?

I thought long and hard about letting Ginny see the book. I was so worried that something would happen again. I then decided I shouldn't. I had a very sick feeling that Ginny would end up like I am. I didn't want that to happen to her _again._ But, maybe it wouldn't affect her like me. Maybe it was meant for me, and me only. God knows why, but I wasn't going to take any chances.

Ginny and I were best friends and would tell each other anything. To cheer me up she started talking about her love life. That always made me laugh.

"Remember the time I sent Harry that bizarre love letter my first year?"

"Yeah! It kinda scared me too."

We laughed about it for a while then Ginny had to go to her dorm. I was left alone. I didn't want to be. I was afraid something would happen to me if I were. So, I went downstairs in the common room were I saw Ron sitting on the sofa. He looked really depressed about something. I still didn't have the chance to tell him about what happened just hours ago, but maybe I should now. It was around three in the morning. Nobody else was in the common room. I was sure that Fred and George weren't eavesdropping as they mostly did when couples were alone in the common room. It made me laugh just to think about it. Ron heard me, I suppose, because he turned his head slightly then turned it to look back into the fireplace. I walked up to the sofa and sat down next to him. He became white all of a sudden, and I was scared to say the wrong thing.

"Ron," I said. He probably noticed that I sounded really nervous. "Ron, listen to me please. Whatever you saw, whatever you think that happened… Oh Ron, don't accuse me of something I didn't do. I just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Please believe me. I'm telling you the truth. If you are my friend you would believe me."

That technically was true. I _was_ at the _wrong_ place at the _wrong_ time, but how was he supposed to believe _just _that?

"Hermione? What _really _happened down there, in the dungeons? If _you _are my friend, you would tell me the truth." _Oh Ron. Of course I'm your friend…how can I tell you?_

"Ron? I want to show you something that I haven't showed anybody before. If anything happens to you, or anymore to me, I want you to know I did it because I wanted you to trust me with all your heart and soul. If anything happens, it's not my fault. If anything happens, I'll still and will always love you."

Ron, looking so terrible, stared at me like he was on the verge of tears. I didn't blame him, like always. He just stared at me with a blank expression, not knowing what to say anymore.

"Ron, please trust me," I said, holding my hand out to lead him up to my dorm.

He took my hand, to my surprise. Maybe he trusted me a lot more than I thought he would. We both walked upstairs, holding our hands so tight, and both of us with petrified faces, not knowing what was going to happen next.

He waited at the middle of the stairs leading up to the girls' dorm, the stairs does something completely bizarre when boys try coming in the girls' dorm. I walked in very silently, making sure I didn't wake up anybody. I searched through my trunk, and got this evil, tempting book out. I went back out onto the stairs were I met Ron and offered him to sit down next to me on the sofa. I opened it to one of the pages where it had the black rose and made Ron read the page before it. His eyes bulged out of his head as he read this. He looked at me then back to the book a multiple of times. He touched the flower in the book so delicately, afraid that it might brake. I then flipped to one of the empty pages I saw in the back of the book, where my flower was so perfectly placed. I don't remember ever putting in there. It probably happened during one of my trances. Ron looked at that flower, remembering it the day I begged him for his robes. He looked horrorstricken.

"HER-MIO-NE! WHY ON EARTH HAVEN'T YOU TOLD ANYONE ABOUT THIS?"

"I _have _been wanting to tell you and Harry but I _couldn't._"

"WHY NOT?"

"BECAUSE I _COULDN'T_"

"This makes no sense whatsoever, Hermione."

"I KNOW IT DOESN'T!"

"THEN WHY CAN'T YOU TELL ME WHATS GOING ON?"

"THAT'S JUST IT RON. IF IT MAKES NO SENSE HOW CAN I EXPLAIN IT?"

There was a slight pause. Ron just stared at me, and I him. There were no words to express how we felt at that moment. It was just deadly silence that crept along the walls of the common room.

"Ron. Please, listen to me. I was too scared to tell anybody this, but I think its time I told before matters get worse. I was in the Restricted section early one morning last month when I shouldn't have been. I found this book and read it. Every time I did something mean or crazy it would be written in this bloody book. All my feelings, thoughts, dreams…. everything! All the stuff you see written in that book has happened to me or is yet to come. In this book it holds my life and I can't control it no matter what I do. I wanted to tell everybody so bad but it was forced to stay locked up inside me. All my feelings and thoughts, dreams and desires… I can go on and on, Ron. I don't know wha…"

_How am I telling him? How can I tell him about the book and my feelings being all kept a secret from the world? I tried to tell him once and Harry and Ginny, but I couldn't. How was this possible?_

Whatever happened when I finally spit those words that I have been so longing to spit up came out! I was relieved but frightened again. A cold chill swiped over my body. I was sure that is what happened to Ron as well. We both were scared. We both were alone. We both knew about the secrets that lie between the book and me, and he was now part of it.

"Ron? Ron, please answer me."

"I…. I…."

"I know its tough… just think how it is on me. You don't have a dark and evil force making you do awful and deranged things in your sleep."

"Lucky me!" said Ron sarcastically.

"Ron? Please, don't behave like this."

"Hermione, we have to destroy that book."

Why haven't I thought of that? Well I have but never done it. Maybe we should destroy it. Get rid of all its dark and tempting spirits that have been taking control of me.

"Hermione we're burning it right now!"

Ron grabbed the book and my hand to draw me closer by his side as he did this. He took the book and gently through it in the fire that was near the sofa. Nothing happened to it. It stayed the same.

"AHHHHH!" I yelled with the most excruciating pain I ever felt electrifying my body. I was burning up! My insides felt that they were being ripped out, my skin felt like it was turned inside out, I couldn't feel my body at all, and I fell to the ground screaming with such agony.

"HERMIONE!" I heard Ron yell. Suddenly, I saw lights flash on from the girls' and boys' dormitories. I heard the rumbling of footsteps coming down the stairs and into the common room. People screamed as they saw me wiggling on the floor crying hysterically. Everyone stared at Ron, not knowing what happened or what he was doing don there at the time.

"GET- THE-BOOK- RON!" I screamed burning up even worse than before.

"RON-GET- THE- GOD-DAMN- BOOK!"

He took a fire poker and as fast as he could he pulled the book out of the fire. The book was still on fire, yet no burns, rips, hole… anything! My insides were still on fire and my skin felt like I had severe sunburn. Ron Jumped up and down on the book, trying to get the flames out, but that made everything worse. As he was jumping up and down on the book, it felt like a gigantic boulder fell on top of me. I couldn't breath at all. I cried and screamed some more even though nobody could here it. Just then, with all of this going on, it felt like a sharp, spear ripped just below my bosom. This was certainly not fun! I couldn't scream, cry, hear, see, think … it was the worst feeling ever, and till this day I still have the marks and the pains. The voices chattering away in the common room sounded awfully muffled and low. Everything slowly began to lose color and faded to gray, to white, then pitch-black. Everything that had just happened, how I'd just felt, disappeared and I was now running, running away forever, not going anywhere, in this eternal darkness.

"Harry no. You don't understand. I _can't _explain it either!"

"Explain _what _Ron?"

"What happened to Hermione?"

"Well, I assumed you knew. You were there!"

"Yes Harry I was and I wish I wasn't. It was a horrible sight."

"Everybody saw, Ron."

"Yeah… but they didn't understand."

"UNDERSTAND WHAT?"

Ron stayed quiet. He looked down at the floor and I swore I heard him sniffle.

I was listening to this conversation for a long time. Yes, I did wake up out of my unusual coma but I didn't open my eyes. My body still felt like it had been sunburned and my stomach still ached, terribly. I also noticed that I had a cast wrapped below my bosom. Then I remember that spear-like pain that I felt in the same exact spot. I guess I broke a rib. I don't know how long I was out, but I knew that I was in the hospital wing. The weird thing I noticed was that I visited the hospital wing more than I did the library!

"Ron, please. I need to know. You're my friend and so is she. How come you guys are hiding this from me?"

"As Ron was trying to say, it's not that we don't want to tell you, we just _can't._"

"HERMIONE!" they both shouted, hugging me so tight that I was afraid something else was going to break. Every time something or someone touched any part of my body, it would sting severely. But I didn't care. I hugged them tightly, too. They were like my brothers and I loved them oh so much.

"Hermione, my God, are you ok? What happened?" asked Harry.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry," pleaded Ron.

"Guys, guys, GUYS! Please. I hurt a lot still but I'm perfectly fine. Now please, give me some space to breathe."

They both moved back, happy that I was okay. I laughed, but my body hurt all over when I did. All of a sudden, Madame Pomfrey stormed into the room, yelling at Harry and Ron to get out of her way.

"Here, my dear. Drink this. It will make you feel a hundred percent better."

Without saying one word I grabbed it out of her hand, desperate to get rid of the pain.

Just than…SPAT!

"YUCK! URGGG! DISGUSTING!"

Madame Pomfrey sighed and said, "First of all, the pain will wear off in an hour or two. Secondly I never said it tasted delicious." She ran back in the door in the far back of the room. She came out a few seconds later with another glass of that foul substance. This time I held my nose while I drank it even though I could still taste it.

"Madame Pomfrey, when will I be out of here?"

"Ah, I think you should stay in here for at _least_ for another week."

"ANOTHER WEEK!"

"Ms. Granger, dear, there's no need to shout. You've been badly injured and you need your rest. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley can visit anytime you like and I'll make sure you get your class assignments." She eyed Ron suspiciously and then left the room.

Oh God! Another week in here! I don't think I can take it. This is like what my third or fourth time in the hospital wing? Most of the time if I visited the hospital wing that much is when Harry has been in here. But, what was I to do? So, I stayed in there for another week.

"Hermione, can you please tell my _why _Ron and you _can't _tell me what happened?"

"Harry, please. Nothing happened," I lied yet again.

"Ron, can you tell me?"

"Hermione is right, Harry, nothing happened."

I was scared for a minute. I hope Ron was just lying because what he saw was horrible, or the book was taking over him now! I didn't know. Just like when I was able to talk to him about the book and nobody else. My head started to hurt from thinking too much. So, to calm myself down, I just pretended that Ron was lying. But I hoped he was. I _really _hoped he was.

A week past and I was free to go. Later when I was back in the common room I asked Ron where he put that book. He first was hesitant about letting me have it and asked why, but then told me he hid it in his trunk. So I ran up to the boys' dorm to get it. I didn't even make it down the stairs, where I sat down, and read it there. I flipped through the pages reading a little bit more. I was just so anxious to know how I was able to tell _him_ and not anybody else. I shuffled through more pages and there it was. I was terrified. I knew why I was able to tell Ron. I should've thought of this before. It was already written in the book!

_I didn't know where to go or where to hide, so I turned to my love. He would know what to do. He would help me with this problem. I knew he would. Even if he wouldn't, I had to show him. _

I sobbed some more. I knew I couldn't live like this, my life already written before my eyes. As I cried my tears hit the pages of the book, but I noticed something that made me cry more. The pages were already stained with teardrops! I flipped through the pages and came across the two roses. I glanced at the black one on the left page and my white one on the right. It didn't look so white though. It turned a little gray on the tip and had a red slice on one side. I touched it gently.

"Ow!" I said silently then lightly touched my cheek. It had been where I gotten scratched on the face by Mrs. Norris. Every time I touched the rose on one of it's bruises, one of mine would hurt. I sobbed, yet again. That's all I could do. Cry. I had no life worth living. Tempting, hideous things that make me do what I don't want to. A soft, warm hand lay on my shoulder. I didn't have to look. I knew it was Ron. I turned around to stare into his dazzling, romantic blue eyes I always loved. He was so sympathetic and I was thankful he was. He was scared, too. We both were. And yet, he still tried to comfort me. He held me in his arms and rocked me back and forth. He caressed my cheek and planted a kiss upon it. I didn't know what to do. I was in my own little world and enjoying what was happening. The book can take over many emotions, thoughts, and feelings I have. But I had a feeling, this one was still left for me to enjoy. Maybe romance was something different. I hadn't a clue but quite frankly, didn't care.

We sat there throughout the whole night, not saying a word. Just rocking back and forth in his warm, manly arms suited me fine. I leaned my head on his large shoulder and closed my heavy eyes. I fell fast a sleep in no time, and knew I was safe, safe in his arms.

I woke up late the next morning to find that I was on the common room sofa. I slept so sound and had no idea what had happened to me last night. I guess I was just too tired. But, why was I on the sofa? _Oh well, at least I didn't murder anybody. _But something stumped me. _I remember something. I remember Ron, and me, sitting on the stairs that led to the boys' dorm. Then everything went black. No, wait. I recall something else. I woke up somewhere else. Ron was with me too. What happened? _ I pulled a blanket off of me to get up, but then quickly pulled it back on me. I was wearing my undergarments. _Where are my clothes? What am I doing here?_

I was worried but curious at the same time. I _did _have a dream! _But, it was so like a dream. I mean, realistic but not in a way. I forgot it, partially. I only remember it had to do with Ron, and me and…OH SHIT_!

It all came back now. I _did_ fall asleep on Ron's shoulder. I _did _have some recollection of my dream. And it _did _come true! I knew it did. It had to of. All my other ones did and this one did, too. I didn't want to panic but I couldn't help but quiver. I thought long and hard about this. _What was so bad? I mean, I remember now what had happened but was it all that bad? I could've done something worse and besides, didn't I love him? _Wow! I never thought of that really. Did I love Ron? Was there something special between us? Did the book have great, thrilling things instead of dark and horrifying?

I was able to answer that question. I wrapped the blanket around me and ran up to the girls' dormitory. I dressed casually today since it was the weekend, thank God, but I needed to find Ron. Where we he be at this time? I had a feeling him and Harry were pigging out in the Great Hall. So, I went down to check.

I was right, and I sat down next to them and had some breakfast. They saved some for me since I woke up so late. I ate as Harry was reading a letter Sirius sent him. Harry was trying to hide it so he could only read it to himself. I was determined to know why. He always reads Sirius' letters aloud. Why not this one? He didn't know but I was glancing over his shoulder the whole time.

_Dear Harry,_

_I know you're having trouble this year, but you must hang in there. I hope your friends are all right, especially Hermione. Maybe you need to spend a little less time around your friends. That worked for me once. I don't know if it will you but it's worth a try. Or you can just sit them down and have a private conversation. That also worked for me, too. I wish I could come and visit you but I have a lot of things still to do. I'll inform you when I can, though. Please give Hermione and Ron my best wishes._

_Love always,_

_Sirius._

Ha! Sirius didn't know what was going on between Ron and me, but most especially me. Even if Harry ignored us or had a conversation with us it wouldn't work. We both were trapped now. Trapped to ever reveal our thoughts, dreams, hopes…all it was now was lies, lies and suspenseful horrors that you don't know when they are going to occur. I had to get rid of the book I just had to!

Later on, we strolled around the castle grounds. It was a gray, cold day. Just up ahead, we saw someone running toward us. It was Angelina Johnson, the new Gryffindor Quidditch captain.

"Harry, To the Quidditch field. NOW!" she bellowed as she took off, grabbing Harry's hand to run faster. I was alone again, with Ron, who stared at the ground and what I noticed never laid an eye on my all day. _Was something wrong? _

"So…yeah!" I said with a chuckle. I saw him smile. "You didn't tell Harry about, well, what happened the other night, did you?"

He shook his head, still not taking his eyes off the ground. I wondered what was wrong.

"Ron, is everything all right?"

He didn't answer. Now something was up. Either Ron was deaf or he was ignoring me, but why?

"RON!"

"Hermione, please. Quit your yapping. I'm fine I just feel a little sick today."

"Oh, are you all right? Do you need to go to the hospital wing?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little…a little overwhelmed."

"About what?"

"Nothing, ok? Just… nothing."

"Ron, please. Why can't you tell me? After all the stuff I told you, you can't even tell me why your feeling so 'overwhelmed' about something?"

"Hermione, I feel bad. I want to tell Harry everything that's going on but I can't. He thinks we can't trust him anymore and we aren't acting like great friends. Hermione, I don't know what to do?"

We hugged each other, and we both cried. We both were lost, and at the same time speechless. What _were_ we supposed to do?

I was in the girls' dorm and laying on my bed. I couldn't get to sleep. I just lay there thinking. Thinking about everything. Thinking about the time I first stepped on to the Hogwarts express, the first time I saw this castle, the first time I broke a rule, the first time I had actual friends. Then, I had a vision. I couldn't control myself again. Everything went black, then to color. Blackness, flashing lights. I was sucked into somebody else's past, someone else's memory.

I saw a girl; she looked like she was in her 7th year and in Gryffindor. I saw her walk out of the same common room, leaving a book opened on her seat. I saw a boy, a Slytherin boy, who appeared in the common room. He took out his wand and pointed it at the book. A blackish- purple light shot out of its tip and swallowed the book with its darkness. I saw the girl again, writing more of her thoughts into this book. FLASH. I had another vision. This girl was running throughout the Hogwarts grounds, laughing and dancing in the snow. FLASH. She was slammed up against a wall. FLASH. I saw the girl in a heartless image. Nobody loved her. Nobody cared. The first person she saw had cutting scissors dug into their backs. FLASH. She was burning up in the everlasting fires of hell. FLASH. She was being caressed and loved by another Gryffindor. FLASH. She awoke. Me. I awoke.

I was sweating. Cold sweat that dripped down my face making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and made my whole body numb with fear, pain, passion…I sat up straight. Looking around me. Seeing more faces asking me what happened.

"Hermione, are you ok?" asked Parvati in shock.

"I'm going to get Professor McGonagall," said Lavendar.

"NO!" I yelled. "I'm fine. I had a bad dream, is all. A _really _bad dream."

"Hermione, are you sure. I really don't want you taking any chances. You've been to the hospital wing more than anybody else has this year."

"Seriously. I'm fine. Thanks though." I rolled over and pretended to go back to sleep. There were whispers. I heard, all talking about me, about Ron. I didn't get any sleep that night. I stayed up. I was too scared, as I always was, to even daydream anymore. I lay there, the whole night, staring at the wall and biting my nails. There was no joy in my life. I would just be worrying what comes next as days go on and on and on…until I die.

The next morning, I almost got a detention for falling asleep in class. The day went so slow. I actually failed a potions class today. What joy! Harry and Ron were amazed. Everybody was. Me, fail a class? But seriously it wasn't my first. Before I handed Professor Mcgonagall the time turner, I was failing one class. I took over eleven a day where as everybody else took eight or nine.

Lunch in the Great Hall was a time to sleep for me. I put my head down on the table and snoozed for a while, which was a bad idea. I woke up with a drawn on mustache, glasses, and beard with permanent marker. I looked around to see Fred and George laughing their asses off. It was kinda funny, but not when you had a class in two minutes and had to scrub your whole face for about an hour to get this crap completely off.

After our classes were over, Harry, Ron, and I headed back to the common room. We really didn't know what to do so we sat around the fire studying for our O.W.L.S. that would be coming up in three weeks.

"What's this?" asked Ron, not knowing what practically anything was.

"It a Pufferskin, Ron. Don't you remember learning about those in our first year?"

"No, Hermione. You're the only one that would," he said with a deranged smile.

"Hermione, can you tell me what this is," said Harry.

"Oh that? That's a fire salamander. We barely went over them."

"Cool, thanks."

We were there for hours, and me as Harry and Ron's resource, it wasn't all that fun. Still, what are friends for?

I returned to the dorm around nine. I wasn't all the tired, considering all the studying we did. I actually felt great, happy, normal…_normal? _That was a relief, but awkward in a way. I mean I haven't felt normal for three months now. Was this dark, sinister curse finally wearing off? Was I free to go on with my life, not worrying about what horrible things are going to occur while I drift off into my dreams, my thoughts, my desires?

Later on that night, I lay on the common room sofa. I didn't want to fall a sleep in my dorm, I was just too comfortable here. I was thinking, as I always did. I loved to sit and think. Think about good old days, good and the bad memories. My fifteen years of living running past my eyes. Mom, dad, talking, walking, birthdays, Christmas', getting my first bike, losing my first tooth, first day in grade school, getting my first all A report card, getting older, getting wiser…then came the letter that excepted me to the best school ever.

I woke up, or so I thought, on the sofa. I stretched and got up, whipping my eyes. I looked at my watch and it was 3:27 a.m. I was used to that by now. I never had a normal sleep. I always woke up around this time. I walked around the common room, wanting my memories to fill my head, but I couldn't remember. I couldn't remember anything. I wasn't nervous or anything either but my heart was thumping at an unusual rate, making me quiver slightly. It beat faster and faster, and I was getting terribly neurotic, and everything started flashing. Darkness. Light. Darkness. Light. I couldn't control it. I couldn't breath, talk, hear, see… I was yet again cast into oblivion. I had no idea where I was. Darkness. Light. Darkness. Light. Flashes before me eyes. The same girl. The same boy. The same book. The same rose. This flashing ever so quickly like watching a movie on fast-forward. I was spinning. Darkness. Light. Darkness. Light. Tempting, hypnotic shadows making this girl do what she didn't want to do. Nature, Death, and Love flashing before her eyes in the very depths of her dreams. I saw the book, tossed into the lake. Drowning. Drowning forever in the darkness. Shadows swallowing the soul. FLASH.

I was outside. String at my reflection in the lake below me. Expressionless, carelessness, thoughtlessness… words that explained how I looked, and I pitied that look. I held the book in my trembling, icy cold hands. I stared at it in disgust. I spit at it. And tossed it as far as I could in the lake. A felt something wet and warm hit my face. I thought it was rain, but unfortunately it wasn't. The book hit the water flat. SPLASH! I was in the water. Sinking. Sinking in the darkness. Lost in my worst fears imaginable. I was trying so desperately to swim to the top but I kept sinking. I was panicking and shaking worse than ever. The water, below degree temperature, getting even colder and colder as I sank lower and lower. Suddenly, I haven't a care. Everything around me was turning so slowly into red haze. I was sleepy, and my eyes were heavy. I stopped panicking and just floated along in the darkness. I didn't care anymore. I didn't care. Darkness. Darkness took over me, and there it stayed for as long as I can remember.

The book eventually floated up to the top, along with my body, that had been dried out of all that is good, plentiful, beautiful, and clean. I breathed. I wasn't alive, nor was I dead, but I breathed. Lying in the freezing lake that vacuumed out my soul, my heart, and my mind, yet I was breathing.

"H-E-R-M-I-O-N-E!" I heard someone yell, so low, so muffled, so hard to understand. What was it and who was it? What did it or they want? I saw a light, drawing nearer and nearer to me. A tall, large figure was pulling me out of the water, which now felt warm on my back where I was drifting, but when the wind of the February air touched my skin, I was colder than I have ever been before. I could only breath. Nothing else. I mean I could hear but what is the gift of hearing when you still can't hear that well, you can't see, can't think, can't talk, and can't move. Occasionally I saw a flicker of light, like now, through my delicate eyelids that were frozen shut.

I just lay there, in someone's gigantic arms, walking toward an even greater light. To me it seemed to take hours till I was placed down on something soft. I was still freezing. I heard whispers, and conversations going about. I just lay there. I felt hands touching my face and medicines shoved in my mouth, but I just lay there.

Days past as I lay there, freezing and unconscious, not knowing where I was or who I was. A tall figure and a shorter one came to visit me a lot.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" the shorter one said trembling a bit.

"I don't know, boys. I don't know," said a lady across the room.

"Is there any chance that she will wake up?" the taller one asked.

"I'm sorry to say but I still don't know. Sometimes coma's can last for years and years. Your friend was lucky last time but I'm not so sure about this time. I will certainly inform you both when she's doing better."

I felt a warm hand place on top of mine. As soon as it touched my hand it came right off.

"Ah, her hand is bloody freezing," the taller one said. He still placed his hand on mine. The both took turns whispering in my ear. I knew they had faith. They knew I was awake inside somewhere, and I was. I really was.

A few days still past, and I was not out of my so-called "coma". I did feel a slight difference though. I was getting warmer. The conversations I was hearing were becoming clearer. I was able to open my eyes slightly. I was able to expand my mind. I was able to move. The two figures that came to visit me came again. One had red hair, the other jet-black. For a second a didn't know who they were, but as my mind kept filling up what shouldn't of been lost, I remembered.

I still lay there, with my eyes shut, not moving a muscle. I wanted to freak them out. They sat by my bed and started talking to each other. They brought flowers to put by my bedside and looked terribly sad.

"I hope she'll wake up soon," said Harry.

"She should, I just know it," said Ron.

"Well, do you think we should be getting to lunch?"

"Yeah. Let's go mate."

Right before Harry got up from the bed, I stretched out my arm and tightened my grip around his strong shoulder.

He let out a gasp; he was really frightened. I couldn't hold it. I shot straight up and started to laugh. They didn't even yell at me. They ran right up to me and gave me hugs that were so tight, I was sure that my ribs were going to break again.

"You're all right, Hermione?" blurted out Ron.

"Thank God. Hagrid searching for fire seeds that night," said Harry.

"Thanks to Harry for finding that book."

"Wait, what book?" I said starting to worry.

"Harry and I were walking around on the grounds and came across a book that was floating on the lake. It looked very familiar. When Harry took it out of the water, I grabbed it from him, knowing what it was, but he grabbed it back a read it. Hermione, don't look at me like that. Harry needed to know. We all did. We are your friends and we are going to help."

No. Harry didn't read it for the hell of just reading it. This was more to the story that was going to make more of a conflict. What was I going to do? What were _we_ going to do? _Maybe. Just maybe its ok that Harry knows. I mean he defeated Voldemort threes times and is one of the greatest wizards I've known. Maybe it wasn't all that bad after all. Or maybe it was. Wait! The boy. The boy who I saw in the vision. Who was that boy? I knew he was a Slytherin, but who was he? My God, it was. It was Voldemort!_

I stayed up all night in the hospital wing, determined to know who this boy was. I thought it over and over again hoping that it wasn't who I thought it was. I never seen Voldemort in person and wouldn't know what he looked liked. I was scared to know what he looked like. I pictured he looked of something fierce, dark, and sinister. Heck, the only thing I saw that was that evil was Draco Malfoy's father, Lucius. He was a death eater, though. Maybe Voldemort did look a little something like him.

I didn't know what to do. I'd tried everything I could think of to dispose of the book, but nothing worked. I through it across the room, I tried throwing it in the river, and Ron tried burning it. But all it did was leave me in more pain, in more confusion, in more anxiety. I was sitting there, awaiting another suspenseful thing to take over me. Was this the way I was going to spend my life, waiting for danger to lurk around the corner, without a fight? No way in hell!

I was tired of always lying in bed in the hospital wing. I got up and wandered around. I was thinking really deep. I was thinking of mostly everything and anything so quickly that I didn't have anything else to think about. I sat on my bed, and for no apparent reason, I started to cry.

I cried about everything. Even if I wasn't sad, I started crying. _Am I going to be stuck in this evil temptation forever? Will I ever be free? Will Harry and Ron be ok? _

I was tired and useless. I had nothing to do. I wanted some adventure, to get out of the castle and do something. I don't know what, but I just something.

I quietly snuck out of the hospital wing and out of the second floor corridor. I was feeling eager yet nervous at the same time. I tried to find my way to the one-eyed witch passageway that would lead me to Honeydukes cellar. I didn't know where it was nor did I want to bother Harry for the Marauders Map. In my mind I was saying, "I don't know where it is. I don't know where it is" but my body was leading me in that direction. When I finally came across it, I crawled inside it and walked in this gloomy, dark-looking sewer, with spiders and rats everywhere. I walked for what seemed like hours until I climbed up a latter and into Honeydukes cellar.

The store was closed. I've never seen it so deserted. I was lucky though. Since the door was locked I had to escape through a window. I was hard, considering they were nearly frozen shut. I fell out onto the icy cold ground, where I was freezing my butt off. I was in my jeans still and had a very light jacket on, not even a jacket, a dinky little sweatshirt. I had barely anything underneath. A tank top really but still, I was really cold. I saw ahead of me the Three Broomsticks. Oh how I needed a drink, get wasted or something.

I walked in there, waiting for somebody to come a drag me out because I was under-aged but nobody did. There was a party in here. Everybody was screaming, laughing, and just plain giddy. I took a deep breath. I don't know if I was in a trance or some sort. I was able to do what I wanted but I still felt it was wrong. Maybe I was just self-conscious. I stumbled on in, where a few guys were staring at me head to toe. If I wasn't so tired or careless, I would be quite frightened, but I was just fine. I walked to the bar and asked the short lady with pinkish-white hair is I could have a beer. She looked at me in concern.

"Aren't you a little bit too young to be in 'ere?" she asked.

"Just get me some butterbear," I said looking lousier than ever. She didn't even seem to mind anymore. The place was so crowded and she had many more customers. I sat down and relaxed. After a few shots of butterbear, I was starting to feel a bit giddy myself. I took another sip, but spit it back in the cup when I looked at who was sitting next to me. _Malfoy? _I swear that was he. It had to be. Nobody else could be the towheaded and have eyes so stern, so sinister, so gray…

I still wasn't sure. I mean I was loaded as it was.

I turned away, frightened that if he looked at me he would know it was me right off the bat. But to my knowledge, I don't think he would know it was me. He was as drunk as a sailor. He leaned over his stool, laughing hysterically with whom I recognized as other Slytherins. I just sat there, starting at the wall. All of a sudden, Malfoy feel of his stool and leaned over my lap, still laughing. I looked at him in surprise. He looked up and smiled at me. _Malfoy? Smiling at me? He must be really, really, REALLY loaded._

"What's a…p…perty lady like ya-self doin' here?" he asked. It was kinda hard to know what he was saying.

"Uh…nothing?" I said. I still was a bit sober to know where I was and know what I was doing.

"Want a drink?" he said, waving his hand to try to get the bartender's attention.

"Uh…sure?"

I was having so much fun. Malfoy and I had our drinks, had conversations, and danced to the music they were playing on the jukebox. Everybody had a blast. I don't care if somebody caught us. I was having the time of my life, for once. I stood up on the bar, and started dancing and singing in the karaoke microphone with other witches.

BOOM!

I woke up in a room that I've never seen before. I felt sick to my stomach. I didn't know where I was or what happened at all the other night. Why was I here? Where is this place? I got up quickly from sofa that I was laying on in front of a roaring fire. I opened a door and quickly ran down the stairs. I didn't know where I was going. I just wanted out. I ran downstairs to realize… I was still in the Three Broomsticks. _What? This makes no sense? What happened?_

FLASH. I saw the girl again. She ran away from Hogwarts and into Hogsmeade. FLASH. She ran into the same bar. FLASH. A boy that looked very much like the one that had cursed her book, fell onto her lap. FLASH. She was singing and dancing. FLASH. The boy and her ran into a room and started making out.

"AHHH!" I screamed "OH MY GOD!" That's the only thing I could say. Ron was enough, but _Malfoy? MALFOY?_

Ok. None of this made any sense. I was freaking out. I mean who wouldn't. I had to get out of there somehow. I was afraid to walk about the grounds outside because I wasn't sure if anybody was out there. Oh well. I went anyhow.

I was lucky enough to get back to the Hogsmeade train station, but how was I going to get back into the school? If I went through the front doors I was sure someone would catch me. There were doors higher up on the castle, but how was I going to reach them? _Think Hermione. Think. _

I got it. It took me a while to get what I needed. I swear I ran about a mile to get from the train station to the Gryffindor locker rooms. I took out my wand, unlocked the door, and barged in. I looked around to find a broomstick. Someone had to of left a broom here. Ah ha! I found one. I walked outside and gulped. I hated heights, and I never rode a broom before. I remember trying once in my first year, and I hated it. But it was the only way I was going to make it back into the castle. I sighed then mounted the broom. I was thrilled that I remembered how to take off, but not so thrilled to have to control it. The thing went wild. It was shooting all over the place. I remember seeing Harry on his first Quidditch game when we thought Snape was jinxing the broom. His was going as crazy as mine. I was going to fall. I knew it. It would be any second. I held on for my life as this piece of wood went mental on me. Very carefully, I held on the broom with one hand, and tried to get my wand from my back pocket.

"Finite Incantartum," I shouted, trying to aim the best as I could. It stopped in mid-air. I took another long sigh and pushed myself back onto the broom. When I managed to get to one of the higher levels of the castle, I dismounted the broom and examined it carefully. Now I know why the broom did that. This broom had the initials F.W.

I ran inside the door. I looked around to see if anybody was near then took of like lightning to the common room. I reached it without a problem, so I thought.

"HERMIONE!" shouted Harry and Ron.

"WHAT!" I shouted back. I wasn't in the greatest mood to be bugged by them.

"Hermione, don't you dare do that again. Me and Harry thought you were dead this time."

"What on earth are you guys talking about?"

"I mean that you were in the hospital wing and you just felt like leaving? Everyone is a worried sick. They all think something terrible has happened to you."

"Well I'm fine."

"Sure you are-"

"Look, Ronald, I'm not tolerating this anymore. I'm not your pet. I can do whatever I want anytime I want. I don't care if you and Harry get worried sick about me. I now what I'm doing and that's all that matters." I thought to myself quickly. _Did I know what I was doing? Did I really care if Harry and Ron were worried about me all the time? _I didn't even know what had just come out of my mouth. I was feeling less for my friends. I was starting not to care anymore.

"Hermione-" said Harry.

"Harry-" said I in a monotone.

"How dare you do this to us? We're your friends. You know we are always here to help you. What's going on with you?"

"What's going on with you," I spat back.

"Hermione, please-"

"NO! FOR ONCE WHY CAN'T YOU AND RON BOTH LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE?"

"You want to be alone? FINE!"

Harry and Ron ran up the stairs and out of sight. I was stunned. How on earth could I say that to them? What was I becoming? What was happening to me?

I started crying. I was losing my friends. They had no faith in me anymore. I was also losing faith in them. What was I to do?

I heard a sudden knock in the doorway. I turned around quickly and gasped. It was Malfoy. How did he get in here? What was he doing in here?

"What the-? How the-?" I said more stunned then before.

"Hello Hermione," he said and smiled like I've never seen him smile before.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?"

"Saying hi to you."

"HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?"

"Through the door."

"HOW DID YOU FIND OUT THE PASSWORD?"

"You told me, don't you remember?"

I thought about that. I thought about last night. I remembered him at the bar. I remembered me getting loaded. I probably did tell him. Great, now he had the password.

"Yeah. I guess I do," I said looking at the floor.

"Now, now my Hermione. It isn't all that bad. Now I can come visit you whenever I want." Yeah like that was going to make me feel any better. He sat down next to me on the sofa. I scooted over a bit. I didn't want to get anywhere near him then I already did. He scooted toward me. He caressed my cheek that was still wet with tears then lifted my chin. He stared into my chocolate brown eyes as I stared into his stormy gray ones. I didn't care anymore. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen. I couldn't fight it any longer. I was too weak.

He stared into my eyes for what seemed like hours. As he stared, I felt weaker and weaker. He was sucking my soul through his glistening eyes. It was hypnotizing me. I couldn't look away. His eyes were so beautiful. I could die just staring into them. What still seemed like hours on end, we never took our eyes of one another. I didn't care if it was Malfoy. I felt like I was knowing him more and falling in love with him as we just stared and stared and stared… I suddenly saw a second flash of somebody. The boy. The boy in my vision was staring at me. I blinked. No. It was Malfoy. It _is_ Malfoy. I can see him, smell him, feel him… this is Malfoy. Not that boy. Not that boy.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps pummeling down the stairs. I looked toward the noise and then back at Malfoy, who had suddenly vanished. My heart did a flip-flop. Then I saw some younger Gryffindors coming down the stairs then out of the portrait hole. I lay there, on the couch, bewildered of what had just happened. What _did _just happened? Was Malfoy really _here_, in the common room? For some odd reason, I felt unease by this. I ran upstairs to my dorm, and took a glance at the book. Like I said earlier. It like it was planned for me. I wasn't able to read the pages until I was forced to. So, I didn't know what was going to happen to me so I could try to prevent it from happening. Even if I did read it, it wouldn't stop me. That force is too strong. I almost died a few times, but I don't think I'm ever going to die. I'm just going to live on killing or hurting other people with my strange actions that really aren't mine.

I was skimming through some pages, stuff that's already happened or I read, and came across the page with the rose again. It wasn't as pretty as when I got it. It wasn't white anymore. It was a deep, sinister gray… A stormy looking gray that looked vaguely familiar, like someone's eyes… Malfoy's eyes! It still had a few bruises and marks on it. Every time I touched it made the bruises and cuts on my body ache. As I was feeling weaker the rose was getting darker… as I was getting hurt, so was the rose… I was unfortunate to be plucked out of some story book and made to be a real character from it, getting steadily weaker each day, as the rose, plucked from the ground and withering away in this book. I looked at the other rose beside mine. It was as black as can be. Darkness and Demons was all I could think about. It chilled my spine. I examined it longer, looking at the marks on it. I was eventually going to get those marks. It looked painful.

I heard more footsteps coming up and down the stairs so I decided to put the book away before anyone else gets hurt. I sighed. My mind was blank and I just didn't know what to do anymore. I wanted so desperately to show a teacher this book, but I couldn't. I wasn't able to show Ron until it was the page I happened to land on to do it. Harry was able to see it cause he found it, and it was also written in the book. I was so caught up in this mess that I leaned over on my trunk, and slowly went to sleep.

FLASH. There was that girl again and two friends behind her. They were boys. I've seen them before in the other visions. They must've been her friends. FLASH. I saw the boy again. FLASH. I saw blood. Blood everywhere! FLASH. I saw the boy, grinning and laughing maniacally. FLASH. I saw three dead bodied, crumpled up on the hard, stone floor. FLASH.

Somebody was shaking me. I woke up in a hot sweat. My body was aching and numb. It was blurry; I couldn't see much. I saw somebody with red hair shaking me. My stomach was uneasy. My vision suddenly came back. Ginny was shaking me and crying hysterically.

"HERMIONE! HERMIONE! WAKE UP, HERMIONE!" she screamed at the top of her lungs in panic. I felt her hands on my shoulders, quivering. I looked around. I was still a bit dizzy. My head ached from all the visions and I felt a damp spot on my chest. I touched there slightly to notice it was blood! Blood was drizzling down my nose like crazy. Ginny reached for some sheets off of someone's bed, and nestled herself near me, pinching my nose. Her big blue eyes were puffy and red. I wanted to hug her and tell her everything was going to be fine but _I_ wasn't even sure if everything was going to be fine.

Ginny then embraced me tightly, still sobbing. I was still in a daze. I had no idea what had just happened. Ginny bawled on my shoulder. I patted her back to reassure and comfort her. I wanted to tell her about the book and the vision but I _couldn't. _Only Ron and Harry and I knew about the evil curses that were hidden inside and opened up inside of _me_.

Many things came rushing through my mind. _Were Harry and Ron ever going to forgive me? Why did I do that? Why would I tell them off? How did Malfoy get into the common room? How was he able to look into my soul and know how to relieve the pain that I have been bearing for so long? Why did I feel weaker? How did the rose turn darker and darker? _

I took the sheet away from Ginny and wiped away the rest of the blood from my nose. My robes were stained and I was distraught. I think Ginny was more distraught then I was, come to think off it. I mean I knew what had happened, sort of. I knew it was the book that did this. Ginny didn't. She thought I was going mental and that's exactly the way to put it. I looked at her and touched her hand gently. She was _really_ shaking. She was _really _frightened as well. She was in one of those mixed up emotions that you can hardly breathe or think. When you want to vomit and feel nauseous. Where you feel like you want to hide in a corner and cry all your sorrows away, even though they never will. They're they to stay and scar you for life.

"Ginny… Ginny are you ok?" _Of course she's not okay Hermione. Look at her!_

"Oh – Her-mio…Her-mio-ne," she was in a complete shock and loss for words. She stuttered every word that she tried to say.

"Ginny listen…" _Listen to what? I didn't know what to say._

"Her-mio-ne? Wha- what ha-p-ppend?"

"Ginny I had an awful, _awful _nightmare. I don't know why I was so, well, _horrifying _to you, but uh…" Wow. I couldn't find any excuse for this. She had to know. She just had to, but there was no use.

"Oh- Her-mio-ne… please. Please c-can you just t-tell me? Why c-can't you t-tell me?

"I just can't, Gin," I sighed. I wasn't in the mood to argue or raise my voice. I was too tired.

"WHY NOT? Hermione please? You can trust me."

"It's not about trust, Gin. I just can't."

"WHY?"

"GINNY IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T WANT TO IT'S THAT I _CAN'T!_ I _CAN'T _TELL YOU. I _WANT _TO TELL YOU BUT I CAN'T. DON'T YOU UNDERSATND ME?" I cried. I couldn't help it. I wanted to tell Ginny more than anybody.

"Please Ginny. Please believe me. Please trust me. You're the first person I would've wanted to tell, but I _can't."_

"Oh…Her-mio-ne-" Ginny embraced me and I her. We were both crying on each other's shoulders now and we were both lost.

"Her-mione, I just don't w-want to see you g-get h-hurt. The things you've done or said it's…it's-" she cut off and ran out the door. I knew how hard this was on her. She could feel it without me telling her. She knew something was up. She probably knows I'm possessed. She experienced it and what's worst off, she's seeing her friend experiencing it. I really felt bad for her, but there was nothing we could do.

About two weeks had passed. I was in the Great Hall to have some breakfast. I saw Harry and Ron sitting down where we normally sit, but there was no way I was going near them. So I looked around until I saw Ginny.

"Hi Gin," I said as if nothing happened last night.

"Oh… Hi Hermione," said Ginny not taking her eyes off of her eggs. She looked so tired and on the verge of tears.

"Ginny what's the matter?" I had no idea why I asked that. I already _knew _what the 'matter' was.

"Nothing. I'm fine. So how's everything going?" she asked. I knew she wanted to change the subject quickly.

"Oh everything's fine. You?"

"Same as usual." She still never took her eyes off her eggs and she twisted them around viciously on her fork. She threw her fork down on her plate, turned to face me, and said with a determined expression, "Hermione, are you _sure _you're ok? Because what I said last night, oh Hermione, it was devastating. I swear if you saw me like that you would act the same way as I am. Your eyes were shut tight and you never opened them when I screamed. You were hot as hell and squirming around, crying, and then blood! Blood was all over your robes! I could've fainted if you hadn't woken up that second."

"Ginny…I…I-" I didn't know what to say. Wow! I didn't know I was that bad. Then I remembered the vision. The vision had blood. Blood everywhere!

"The vision," I whispered to myself, thinking Ginny couldn't hear.

"What did you say?" asked Ginny.

"The vision. I had a vision of something. There was blood. Blood everywhere!"

"Hermione. What're you talking about?"

"I had a dream…blood…blood was everywhere!" Ginny then turned white. She had no idea what I was talking about and I still _couldn't _explain.

"Her-mio-ne?" She was quivering again. I hated when Ginny did that. That made me scared too.

"Wha- what?" I snapped out of my thoughts, trying to bring my mind back to what was happening _now. _Ginny just stared with her mouth slightly opened.

"Never mind."

Harry and Ron never talked to me all day. I had to work with Neville for all my classes. Neville is a good friend and all, really sweat, but really clumsy. Herbology is the only thing he is good at. We both failed poisons for the day because Neville happened to put in too much off one ingredient in the potion, dropped another, and got one stolen from the Slytherin group. It happened to be Malfoy's. Crabbe and Goyle were the ones that actually stole it. Malfoy just sat there, hunched over on his desk, staring at me. I made eye contact him a couple times but looked away, afraid something was going to happen in the middle of class. Then I'd definitely get a detention, or worse. Maybe people would suspect that I killed Filtch. I think it was already kind of obvious.

Later on in the library, I studied and studied some more. Our O.W.L.S. were coming up quickly. I think it was a week to go! A lot of other people were in here too, including Harry and Ron, who were doing their last minute studying, as usual. I was just reviewing. I already knew everything there was to know on this bloody test. I knew I couldn't fail. Quite frankly, I don't think _anybody _could fail. It really wasn't that hard of a test, or so I've heard. The only people I knew who failed, or at least got a low grade, was Fred and George.

Just then, Ginny stumbled in the room. She looked embarrassed yet confused. She walked slowly walked toward me, breathing heavily.

"Hermione," she whispered. She was panting too like she was running or something.

"What's the matter?" I was a little worried.

"M-Malfoy wants to see you."

"Huh?"

"He's waiting for you on the third floor corridor. Don't ask me anything. I don't know why he wants to see you. He just did. And I would go if I were you." There was caution rising in her small voice and it gave me the chills. I looked at her, and she was still panting.

"Fine. I'll go."

I wondered what happened. Ginny seemed so scared when she told me. I mean Malfoy's, well, scary but not _that _scary. I then remembered when he had me on the sofa. How he stared into my eyes and how I felt. I ran a little faster up the stairs. I was getting more frightened by the second as all these bizarre visions flashed through my mind. I ran faster and faster and… BOOM!

I crashed to the floor where I saw a person lying flat down next to me.

"I'm so sorry. Are you –" It was Malfoy. I was scared but kinda relieved.

"Hey," he said so coolly.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Well?"

"God, if your gonna be that pushy. I just wanted to talk."

"To talk. I was in the middle of st-"

"Studying I know."

"Well, yes."

"Don't you think you need a break from studying? You work constantly."

"Well, I guess taking a break won't hurt. Wait, why are you acting like this. I mean your _Malfoy._ And I'm that _know-it-all mudblood Granger."_

"Your point?"

"My point is that why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because I feel like it."

"Well, why didn't you feel like it all the other times. I mean its nice to be kind to people. Not hate them for what they are?"

"Because I didn't feel like it then." I was a loss for words. He was so good. All I did was stare at him in awe and sighed. I couldn't help but laugh too.

"Well, what did you want to talk about?"

"About anything I guess. Just, ya know, talk."

"Is there a certain topic?"

"Do you want there to be a certain topic?"

"Well, yeah kinda."

"Ok. So, whacha wanna talk about?"

"God you're so difficult."

"Not as difficult as you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean you're difficult."

"How?"

"I don't know. You just are."

"Give me a reason."

"There are too many."

"Give me one."

"I don't feel like it."

"GIVE IT TO ME."

"Ok."

Just then a warm sensation swept over my body as his lips brushed against mine. I had my eyes opened because I was really shocked about the whole thing, but then I fell into it. I didn't love him, or did I? I was lost, but this time not in my thoughts, in a kiss. He kissed with such desire and passion. I had to cling onto his neck because I felt I was going to drift away in a dream, in some fantasy.

Just then I heard a gasp. I pushed Malfoy away from my body and looked to see who it was. It was Ginny. She looked white and, like me, a loss for words.

"Ginny I can ex-"She ran down the corridor and onto the staircase. Why did she seem so angry? I mean, what did Malfoy do to her? What did _I _do to her?

I left Malfoy in the deserted corridor as I ran to get Ginny. I ran up half a flight of stairs until I felt someone grab my hand. It happened to be Malfoy's.

"Malfoy let go. I need to catch up with Ginny."

"Just listen."

"I can't at the moment."

"Yes you can." He said that with such anger and pulled my arm so hard I fell and was leaning on his chest. I was frightened and breathing hard.

"What?" I said weakly.

"Meat me tonight in the dungeons. Go down to the last floor. Be careful though, there might be some prefects about. Go down a long staircase you'll see at the far end of the room. You'll see some passageways and crap, but just keep heading down. As soon as you make it all the way down, you'll see a portrait of a rose with two torches next to it. The password is 'S'est levé.' There you'll find me."

"You really can't make this easy can you."

"Life isn't easy." He stared at me and gave me a wicked smile. It scared me so much. The way he said _Life isn't easy _hit me so hard. Life _wasn't _easy. At least for me it wasn't. How did he know that? Or how did he know the right words that would make me hesitate and get worried?

I ran up the stairs, still trying to reach Ginny who was heading towards the bathroom. She barged open the door and locked herself in a stall. I was in there too trying to discuss what was going on.

"Ginny… whatever it is I've done, I'm really sorry about it."

"What's done is done, you can't take that away."

"What do you mean?"

"As you live more weakly day by day."

"Ginny I'm tr-"

"Your thoughts, fantasies, fears, and woos."

"Ginny let me-"

"All connect to the things you do."

"Gin, wha-"

"A tale too terrifying for others. A rose that lies in its covers. The story of a Gryffindor girl, who was imprisoned in a dark, sinister world."

"Ginny, stop-"

"Will your life slip away from your hands and be gone?

"Wha- Ginny please-"

"You'll find out as the story goes on."

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't blink, I couldn't move. I stared at the locked stall, in the most frightening stance I've ever been in. Then I ran. I ran as far away from that bathroom as I could. I didn't care how or when she found out. She said it in such a way. Like Malfoy when he said, "Life isn't easy." They said it so slow and with such emphasis that it took my breath away, literally. I ran as fast as lightening and onto the grounds. I ran and ran, not knowing where I was going until I decided to head to Hagrid's hut. I banged on the door and I heard Fang, his boarhound, barking.

"Hold on. Hold on. Fang move yer butt. Who is it?"

"Hermione."

"Oh Hermione!" He opened the door and gave me such a hug; I thought he was going to squeeze me to death.

"How 'ave yeh been?" He looked so happy and offered me a chair near his fireplace.

"I'm f-fine." He offered me a glass of tea that I held in my unsteady hands.

"Hermione, are yeh sure yer al' right?"

"I'm okay. Really I am. Thanks for the tea."

"Anytime, Hermione. Anytime."

It was around six o'clock when I left Hagrid's. I was still quite frightened of what happened today. I was dill dallying, asking myself if I should go or not. I guess I should though, I mean, I don't want anything else to happen. Malfoy looked more frightening then he ever did. I think I ran out of tears. I cried inside though, you betcha I did. What was I to do?

Another thing that hit me is Harry and Ron. I haven't talked to them for two weeks! This was the very first fight we've been in. Well, at least Harry and I were never in a fight before. I was worried because they were practically my _only _friends, besides Ginny. And perhaps Draco wasn't as bad as I thought he was. Wait! What was I saying? Draco? Why on earth would I call him by his first name? Why would I think for one second that he might be my friend? Wow! I was really going mental.

Seven o'clock. I still didn't know what time I should go. Then I decided it was too risky. I wasn't going to go. I wasn't. Yet, something inside me told me I should, I shouldn't let him down. I had to go. Draco wanted me there. I thought long and hard about it, as I did so many other things. I thought too hard about it, for not realizing somebody was calling me.

"Hermione?" Ginny said, poking me at my side.

"Wha- what?" I snapped out of my thoughts quickly.

"Hermione, what happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"Earlier, what happened? All of a sudden I realized I was in the girls bathroom, when I swore I was in the third floor corridor."

"What on earth are you-"

I stopped abruptly. Didn't she tell me that Draco was waiting in the third floor corridor? Wasn't she acting absurd in the bathroom when she was telling me something that sounded like she was reading a story? I got lost in my thoughts again. Then I suddenly realized, maybe she didn't even know what she was doing? The book! It started taking over her too!

"Ginny, what do you remember before you were in the girls bathroom?"

"Well, I was walking out of the library and was heading towards the Charms classroom because I forgot one of my books, and I saw Mal- I saw somebody."

"Who did you see?"

"Nobody."

"Ginny you're not helping. Please, this is really important. Now, _whom did you see?_"

"I- I-"

She held her hands over her eyes and ran out of the room. _Damn it Ginny! Why couldn't you tell me? _Why couldn't she tell me?

Later on that night, around eight o' clock now, I sat on the sofa in the common room and was just being, well, bored. I had nothing to do. So, being the stupid fool I was, I wanted another challenge. I went upstairs to my dorm, opened _that _book, and to my surprise, there was nothing written in it. Wait how can this be… As I was thinking, something struck me. Words were being etched in the book! In a different handwriting! It read:

_She was lost again, confused, and had nowhere else to turn. She sat there dumbfounded and at long last got up and sighed…_Which was exactly what I did! I _did _get up and I _did _sigh! No I was scared. I was doing something and I was writing down. I moved my arm up and down just to make sure… AND IT WAS WRITTEN DOWN! Then… WHAM!

It felt like the room collapsed in on me and swallowed me. Darkness. Light. Darkness. Light. It was happening again. My body was being controlled by these shadows that haunted me since the beginning of this school year! The room spun and spun. Darkness. Light. Darkness. Light. My mind was lost in this roller coaster ride. I felt sick to my stomach and I ached all over ad hot and cold sweat covered my body. BOOM!

I woke up on the floor. I got up without hesitation and headed for the portrait hole. AS my mind was saying, "_No it's happening again. Control yourself, Hermione. You can do it!" _my arms and legs freely moved about, leading me to the dungeons. Then my mind was getting blurry and more out of focus. I forgot who I was and where I was. I forgot everything except my way around the castle and whom I was going to meet when I met my destination.

I walked wistfully down the stairs, avoiding the eyes of Prefects, and down the long flight of spiral staircases that Draco told me about. It was a scary sight when I thought of it. The stairs seemed to never have an end and where leading me down into the dark. The only light was the torches that led me down these haunting stairs. As I stared down, there was nothing but darkness. I wanted to be frightened, I wanted to scream and have someone save me, but I couldn't.

I finally reached the door. It was just as how Draco described it to be. It was a masterpiece! A beautiful rose held by these youthful hands. The thing that got me was that the rose wasn't white as he said it was. It was more of a grayish color. Stormy gray, like his eyes. It had marks just like the one on mine and it looked like it was about to wither away. I didn't bother noticing then. A poem was engraved in the magnificent golden frame. I sounded familiar but I had to many other things on my mind to be paying attention. I _was _the poem Ginny recited in the girls' bathroom. But as I said, it didn't bother me at the time.

This exquisite painting just amazed me. I brushed my fingers lightly against the canvas and I felt someone lightly caress my cheek at the same time! It felt so warm and loving, I did it again. What I noticed now but not then was that _I _was actually caressing me cheek _as _I was touching the painting.

"_S'est levé." _I said loud and clear. The door opened slowly and I creped in. I found myself in a room very much like a dungeon cell. It was dark and had the gloom to it, along with the green mist from nowhere. I saw chains in a few corners and one skeleton in the center of the room. I walked down the stone stairs and walked up to the skeleton and realized what it was holding. The rose! The black one that I saw on the opposite page from mine!

"Hello, Hermione," Draco said smoothly, standing in the shadows where I couldn't see him, only the sparkles in his cold, gray eyes. "I see you found _her_."

I kept quite not wanting to though because I had many questions. But as always I was forced to keep them locked up inside me along with feelings. I just stared at the body of bones and wondered who this girl was, even though I knew who I could be.

"Yes Hermione. That book, it was _hers_. It wasn't _really _a diary, or maybe it was. I put a spell on the book, knowing that there was a flower in there, because I gave it to her. The book made her do crazy things that she wrote in it after words. You see Hermione, you're living her life! And that's her skeleton. How should I put this: The book was her life, but the rose _was_ she. As the rose grew weaker, she grew weaker. Any marks or scars she bared, the rose would bare it too. So you weren't alone in this after all Hermione. I put the curse on that book over fifty years ago and I'm just awed by the way magic never dies. (He gave me a maniacal smile) Don't you remember me, in your visions? Yes Hermione. I'm him. I'm the boy."

"My dear sweat Hermione, don't cry." He came over to me and wiped my cheek dry from the tears that were starting to come down my pale face.

"Now, let me show you how it is to be happy again," He lifted one hand out. I was just about to reach his until…

"HERMIONE!" I turned to see who it was. My memory was lost! I didn't know who on earth this person could be.

"HERMIONE STOP! HE'S TRICKING YOU HERMIONE! DON'T!"

"Who are you girl?" I said with disgust. I didn't want to though. This girl seemed so helpless and miserable.

"HERMIONE PLEASE IT'S GINNY! PLEASE HERMIONE, SNAP OUT OF IT. HE'S TRICKING YOU! REMEMBER ME HERMIONE! I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT! REMEMBER ME!"

I thought very hard. I forced myself beyond belief. I did remember! It was Ginny!

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" bellowed Draco and made a hand motion, which threw Ginny into a wall.

"GINNY!" I said running towards her but Draco grabbed me in his tight grip.

"LET GO OF ME, MALFOY!"

"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, GIRL!" It did not sound like him one bit. I mean, I've heard Draco when he's angry, but _never _like this.

"LET GO OF ME THIS INSTANT!"

"WHO'S GONNA MAKE ME?"

"I AM!" shouted Ginny, getting control of her strength again. She had her wand in her hand, which was terribly unsteady.

"You? You young, pitiful, little girl, stop me? I _dare _you to."

Ginny's face started to cringe and she was on the verge of tears, yet again. She dropped the wand and ran toward the door. Draco muttered a curse which locked it and she couldn't get through. Then he took his mind off Ginny and turned to stare at me maniacally. I was back to myself and scared to death. Ginny was hammering the door with her fists trying to get out.

"So, my beloved Hermione, will you care to join me?" I thought I was back to myself, but there was still my conscious telling me to go and the other half telling me not to.

"No! You can't do this Malfoy! Why are you doing this?"

"Fool! It's because I want to!"

"Why!"

"BECAUSE I WANT TO YOU!"

"WELL, STOP WANTING TO!"

"HERMIONE, THAT'S THE POINT. I'M NOT DOING THIS FOR MY HEALTH, I'M DOING THIS FOR A REASON!"

"WHATS YOUR BLOODY REASON? TAKING CONTROL OF ONE'S LIFE FOR A REASON? WHAT HAVE I'VE EVER DONE TO YOU?"

"Enough to make me do this…" He picked up the wand lying on the ground and muttered another spell that sent me flying across the room and hit up against the icy, stonewall. Before everything went black, he stood over my limp body that lay helplessly on the floor. He bent down and whispered, "By the way, I'm not Draco Malfoy, I am –" My heart skipped a few beats and I passed out. Everything, as always, went black and I was left unconscious, withering away in the shadows that were gradually pulling me down, down, down…

When I was unconscious this whole time, I didn't realize that Ginny _did _get out of the dungeons.

"RON! HARRY! OH LORD!" She found them in a deserted corridor.

"What? What is it Ginny?" They said worried sick because Ginny could breathe and was crying uncontrollably.

"IT'S HERMIONE!"

"What happened?" They both shrieked.

"I don't know. I hope what was planned wasn't done yet!"

"Ginny, _what on earth are you talking about?"_

"I DON'T KNOW! COME WITH ME AND _FAST! _HERMIONE'S LIFE IS ENDANGERED!" They ran as fast as possible to come save me. I was still waiting for them in the shadows.

I slightly woke up in the dark room with _him _standing over me. I flinched when I saw him and turned my head away to look at something else; he smiled. My vision was still blurry and my hearing was still muffled, but I saw a dim light from where I entered and I saw three figures rushing through it. Two of them had red hair and one was black. I knew who it was! I felt so relieved. They did care! They did want to help! They were truly my friends!

"Keep away from her Malfoy!" yelled Ron holding up his wand.

"Hermione!" shouted Ginny who was glad that I was still alive. She sat down next to where my body lay limp and wrapped me in her warm embrace. Everything was slowly getting black again. I was drowning in darkness once more.

"And just what do you think you're doing? You think you can stop me?" Harry and Ron just stood there with their wands at the ready.

"_Crucio!" _shouted 'Malfoy' and had Ron who screamed in agony and was moving uncontrollably, every inch of his body aching with this spell rushing through his veins. He was in so much pain, he fell to the floor unconscious.

"Now, now, now Harry. It's you and me all over again! Look around you Harry. Nobody can help you. Your dear friend Hermione is getting weaker and weaker by the second. And sooner or later, she'll die. Ron will die. Ginny will die. And you must too." He held up his wand and aimed it right at Harry's heart.

"Now Harry, don't worry. You'll be with your parents soon." Ginny looked up realizing Harry and her were the only ones left and noticed what 'Malfoy' was going to do to Harry.

"It's _you! _You're not Malfoy. You're…you're-"

"Yes Harry I'm Lord Voldemort. How've you been? Now _let me finish what I was longing to fourteen years ago!" _he held up his wand so steady and said, "_Avada Ka-"_

_"NO!" _Ginny got up and charged into Harry. Harry fell face flat on the floor.

"_GINNY…. NOOO!" _he screamed but it was too late. Ginny lay restlessly on the ground near the skeleton. She was white as a ghost and had stained cheeks from her tears. She had purple marks on the bottom of her eyes that made her look tired. She also had cuts and bruises on her face and arms. Harry stood there, remembering when Ginny and him were in this stance…three years ago.

Harry's eyes were watering, but he couldn't cry. He had to fight. As he ducked spells Voldemort cast at him, and conjured some himself, Ron was slowly waking up. He ran over to me were I was awake again but to weak to do anything, just lay there.

"Hermione, Hermione! Are you okay?"

"Hmmm…what do you think?" I said, my voice very scratchy and soft.

"Hermione don't die now. We are so close. Please fight it. I know you can."

"Ron I've been fighting long enough. I can't anymore. I just can't. Please let me go."

"Hermione NO! Stop it this instant! You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Please Ron, if you love me you will. I _can't _fight it Ron."

"YES YOU CAN!"

"Just say goodbye to me while you still can."

"Hermione-" I reached up and gently brushed his cheek. I really couldn't fight it. I loved him and as it was the night on the Grand Staircase, as I thought I was going to die, this is how I'd want to go…

"I love you Ron." I whispered. Then I slowly blacked out. Ron's eyes bulged and he sat up straight. He went pale and looked horrorstruck. He then ran for the door. He ran up the stairs down more dim-lit corridors and out of the dungeons. He made his way up to the common room and ran up the stairs that led up to the girls' dorm. Something went haywire with the stairs and Ron couldn't make his way up.

"Damn! I forgot about that bloody jinx." He then ran back down the stairs where he met Parvati, who was just about to head up there."

"Parvati! Parvati! Listen… this is _really _important. Run p to your dorm, go in Hermione's trunk and get a book that is a dark purple with red scales over it."

"What's the catch?" she asked starring at him head to toe, blushing.

"DAMN IT PARVATI GET IT NOW! HERMIONE COULD DIE!"

"_WHAT?"_

"Please, I'll explain it all later… _just get that book!"_ In no time Parvati found the book and gave it to Ron, he ran up to his dorm, opened up to the last page where he noticed somebody already writing! He quickly grabbed his quill from his nightstand and read on…

_She was gradually growing more weaker and weaker…she didn't know what to do. She said her farewell to her beloved one and then fell forever in her sleep where there was no going back. She lay there helplessly and waited for her time to come. She sighed, rolled her eyes back, and di- "_FINITE INCANTARTEM!" Ron screamed.

_"_She's not dead! SHE'S NOT DEAD!" He was right. I wasn't dead, though my energy and life were almost completely sucked out of me… I was _alive. _Ron took his quill and wrote on…

_She sat up and took a deep inhale. Her strength was coming back. She wasn't dying. She lived. She lived. She was no longer controlled over him. She lived. She lived._

He finally made his way down to the dungeons, were I was sitting up taking in deep breaths and regaining my strength. I was alive. How could this be?

"Ron… how'd did you-"

"Never mind that now. We gotta help Harry." We didn't waste anymore time. We got up on out feet, and joined Harry, making us, once again, a trio.

"Ah…my three favorite people. How nice is this! I remember you Ron and your sister," he said in an evil tone pointing to where Ginny lay stiff.

"GINNY!" Ron yelled not noticing what happened to her all this time. "Ginny! Ginny! Wake up… WAKE UP!" he cried and cried, holding his little sister in his arms. I was out cold when Ginny blocked the spell from Harry, but when I noticed what happened I started to cry, I tried to join Ron but Voldemort pulled me towards him, his appearance still Malfoy's.

"Now, now my Hermione. Do you want to join me?"

"Let me go!"

"Come Hermione," he said caressing my cheek that always hypnotized me into doing evil. This time, it didn't work. How I was amazed. How come?

"You _fool!"_ he shouted throwing me to the ground. Harry kneeled down and joined me.

"Oh how cute! Sorry you'll have to see your friend go before you do, Harry."

"Is that so…" Harry stood up and looked so angry and hateful. That's how you had to be to use one of the unforgivable curses. I knew he was going to, I just knew it. But something inside of me didn't want him to do it. Voldemort was taking over Malfoy, and for some strange reason I still had feelings for him, even if it really wasn't him. Harry lifted up his wand and I swear that was the scariest sight of Harry I ever saw. His eyes did turn a slight reddish color. "Ava-"

"STOP!" I cried. I ran to where Voldemort/Malfoy was.

"Hermione! What the hell?"

"No Harry you can't. You mustn't. Malfoy's in trouble, too!"

"Your point?"

"Harry please listen to-" But Voldemort had used some jinx without a wand and sent me crashing to the floor.

"THAT'S IT… AVADA KADAVRA!"

"HARRY… NOOO!" I screamed but it was also to late. Malfoy lay like Ginny, restless and hopeless. A form of smoke started rising out of his body. It formed into a dark, shadowing figure with a long black cape and a hood over his face. I was Voldemort. Harry and I took one glance at him and he vanished in thin air! Of course! Voldemort was still to weak to be coming back to power and had to use Draco's body, just like Professor Quirell's in out first year. But if that was Voldemort, then the body that lay beneath Harry's feet and mine was the real Draco Malfoy.

"Dear God, he's _dead!_" I ran up to him and sat by him. I didn't know why I did what I did, but I hugged him close and kissed his cheek.

"Hermione… you know whatever he did…it wasn't really him," Harry said softly not trying to hurt my feelings.

"I know…but I wish it was, oh how I wished it was!" I stood up, with Harry's help, and gently let go of Draco's hand.

"Hey guys come over here!" cried Ron. He was still crying hysterically but had a smile on his face. "I feel a pulse! Ginny, she still alive!" Oh how happy we were. I cried as Ron held me close to him. Ginny was still alive. I was still alive. We all were!

"How is she doing?" Ron asked impatiently a week later in the hospital wing.

"Much better than the day before. She should be out in at least two to three more days! Thank God she didn't get hit directly in the heart Madame Pomfrey said with a sigh. Ron was sitting next to Ginny, holding her hand and relieved that his sister was still alive. I was sitting in the chair next to Ginny drinking an antidote Madame Pomfrey gave to me. I had to come here twice a week for about a month to gain all my strength back. Ginny was awakening slightly. Harry, Ron, and I crouched by her bed.

"Hey you guys," She said weakly with a huge smile on her face.

"Hey Ginny," said Harry patting her on the shoulder, "thanks a bunch for risking your life for mine."

"What are friends for," she said, trying to fix her posture with out hurting herself.

I gave her a small hug. "If it wasn't for you, who know where I'd be." Just then the doors opened. Dumbledore came in to greet us at Ginny's bed.

"Professor Dumbledore," said I standing up along side Harry and Ron. "Listen Professor, we swear, we didn't mean to do anything-"

"Of course, of course I understand Hermione. It is in my nature to know that you, Harry, and Ron have always shown great loyalty to me. I trust you. Ginny had told me everything. I'm quite shocked as to hear what happened to all of you down there, and Mr. Malfoy. And I'm quite astounded by the efforts you all put into to save each other's lives. I'll ask you three to do something of great importance. Burn that book! It was wrong of you Hermione to go wandering around in the Restricted section without permission but I think you've suffered enough. I will ask the librarian to check for anymore cursed books throughout the school so neither you nor others can get hurt. Now, do as I say, and burn it!"

Harry, Ron, and I ran up to the boys' dorm and got the book. Before any of us picked it up, we stared at it. It seemed like yesterday I had the book in my clutches for the first time and now the story ended. Ron picked up the book and handed it to me, I refused. I didn't want to touch it. I was clean from evil and didn't want the shadows and darkness coming at me again.

We went outside by the lake, where we lay the book down on a stone. All three of us took out our wands and muttered a spell. Bright blue flamed shot from the tips. My fears, anxieties, possessing, hypnotizing, evils were slowly withering away. We stared at it for a long while just to make sure every last page was gone. We huddled close, Ron holding my hand and Harry's arm resting on my shoulder. The nightmare was over. We were free!


End file.
